Too many cards - real and imaginary!
by Herr EdMuch has been written about the standard of refereeing in Germany, and before WCH takes a four year holiday we thought we should comment.
At World Cup 2006 referees have taken a hard-line on rash tackles – perhaps too hard. It seems that every mistimed tackle is punished with a yellow card. Statistics demonstrate that injury levels have dropped at this year’s World Cup in comparison with previous tournaments, and it is suggested that this is an outcome of stricter refereeing. However, whilst nobody wants to see players getting hurt, if disciplinary procedures focus solely on the reduction of injuries this will ruin football. Even completely fair challenges may injure footballers, so the next step will be the abolition of sliding tackles – or even tackles. In fact if football was abolished altogether this would reduce football-related injuries by 100%! But professional players surely accept that the risk of injury is always present when participating in an aggressive contact sport. And supporters don’t want to see the referee moving his hand to his pocket every time that a combative midfielder slightly misjudges a tackle.
On the other hand, issues of unsportsmanlike conduct have remained unchallenged throughout the tournament. These occurrences anger fans far more than mistimed tackles, and every effort should now be made to eradicate cheating as much as possible. The attempt to manipulate a referee into booking or sending off an opponent violates viewers’ ethical sensibilities. One of the most straightforward measures would be to caution any player that raises an imaginary card after an opponent has committed a foul. This is a blatant and unequivocal instance of unsportsmanlike behaviour and can be easily dealt with – it is absurd that this behaviour should go unpunished, whilst removing a shirt after scoring is a mandatory booking.
Surrounding referees in the attempt to pressure them into making a decision is a further issue that must be addressed. This is not so simple do deal with as the waving of imaginary yellow cards; after the referee has been swamped by a crowd of players, he may have difficulty establishing the guilty individuals. Perhaps the rules should be changed so that it is only team captains who can approach referees with queries. The officials do not need the assistance of 22 biased amateur referees during a game - any player (who is not captain) that fronts-up to a referee should be punished with a yellow card.
The most difficult problem to address is that of diving and feigning injury in the attempt to gain either a penalty or land an opposing player in trouble. These acts can sometimes be impossible for referees to distinguish from genuine fouls and injuries, so the only option is for incidents to be reviewed on video after the game and for sanctions to then be imposed. A preponderance of decision-making power should still reside with referees during matches, but if cheating is to be addressed effectively, video evidence must also be utilised.
Fifa has completely fudged this World Cup with regard to disciplinary issues. Games have been spoiled as a result of draconian refereeing, with teams often reduced to 10 players (and sometimes less). But supporters have still had to witness diving, feigned injuries, referees being harangued, poor sportsmanship, and enough imaginary yellow cards to block the Danube!
July 12th, 2006 at 10:26 am
Two words which would greatly assist officials - sin bin.
Rooney pushes Ronaldo - sin bin for 10 minutes. Job done.
July 12th, 2006 at 12:22 pm
Things I’d like at the next World Cup (some are general things I’d like to see in football) -
Sin bins (10 mins for certain offences - persistent or extreme dissent, pushing opponents after a free-kick has been given, etc - basically anything outside normal play)
24 teams (6 groups of 4)
Stadia without athletics tracks
The team that scores first in a drawn game to automatically win after extra time
Offside = anyone offside regardless of whether or not the player is interfering with play
Goalkeepers to be penalised for leaving their penalty area (would be interesting at least)
July 12th, 2006 at 1:12 pm
Some comments on the Truth’s list.
I’m not convinced with sin-bins. 11 v 10 for ten minutes isn’t as great an advantage in football as it would be in other sports.
24 is too few. Speaking from a biased European perspective, too many of the big nations will not even qualify.
For stadia with athletics tracks the ball should not be out of play unless it goes into the crowd. However, that may lead to new ultra-defensive tactics of playing 30m behind your own goal.
The team with the fewest bookings (two bookings for each red card) should automatically win a drawn game after extra time.
I agree it’s best to return to the old offside interpretation. If you’re on the pitch you MUST be interfering with play (unless you’re Frank Lampard).
Goalkeepers can only go up for corners or free kicks if they are the takers of said corners or free kicks.
July 12th, 2006 at 1:23 pm
Abolish offside - or at least experiment without it. It’s the source of negative football and has become an unnecessary and elaborate contrivance. But if it must be retained, then yes, revert to the old interpretation. As the rule currently stands it’s a shambles and impossible for an assistant referee to call.
July 12th, 2006 at 2:07 pm
- 11 v 10 for ten minutes as least gives some advantage to the 11 whereas currently a yellow card doesn’t make a scrap of difference. I can see coaches and team mates getting a bit irritated if they are a man or two down just because a player can’t keep his hands to himself or his mouth shut.
- If some top sides miss out on the World Cup if it only contains 24 countries then they should blame themselves for not being good enough to qualify.
July 12th, 2006 at 2:11 pm
David has a point. The current offside rule is a shambles. The media don’t help though. I think that all replays of offside incidents should be played at normal speed until after the game. See how well the commentators judge it then.
July 12th, 2006 at 2:48 pm
The current offside rule needs reviewing. I’d favour a can’t-be-offside-unless-in-the-last-quarter-of-the-pitch style rule.
I think sin bins would definitely be workable. They work in just about every other contact sport, I can’t see football being much different.
I think 32 teams at the World Cup is the right amount. How many of the last 32 teams looked genuinely out of place?
July 12th, 2006 at 2:59 pm
Togo, Costa Rica, Saudi Arabia, Trinidad & Tobago, Iran, England
July 12th, 2006 at 3:02 pm
They could appeal to the youth of the world by calling the sin bin ‘The Chillout Zone’.
July 12th, 2006 at 3:02 pm
Good idea David. FIFA should be doing more to keep it real.
July 12th, 2006 at 3:10 pm
Why not abolish red and yellow cards and just have a mid week tribunal AFL style. Players could then have the freedom to headbut and brawl to their hearts content (might jazz the game up in some circumstances) without fear of being sent off whilst being aware they might get a several match suspension at the tribunal…
On a seperate note, Will the Hippo confirm his plans now the WC is over?
July 12th, 2006 at 5:07 pm
Thanks for the enquiry Mr XI. Herr Hippo is planning on taking a long holiday, but some members of his team may move on to new (possibly football related) internet pastures. Negotiations are currently in progress.
July 12th, 2006 at 7:04 pm
Go back to the old offsides rule, must be 2 defenders between you and the goal when the ball is played, whether you are involved in the play or not
Remove offsides for the 30 minute overtime periods
Game suspensions for diving as reviewed after the game ( I don’t really want instant replay in footie matches) and subsequent lifting of card accumulation for players who were booked on a feigned foul
mandantory 10 minute medical attention and evaluation for any player who does not stop writhing in pain on the field when the ref checks on them. Basically if the stretcher gets to the player, he is not playing for at least 10 minutes.
July 13th, 2006 at 10:57 am
Only the referee should decide when play should stop for an injured player. This World Cup became farcical when players would put the ball out of play anytime someone went to ground.
July 28th, 2006 at 11:06 am
I concur - a key point that I probably should have included in the article.